GLORIA SWANSON’S VOICE

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1930, Page 11

GLORIA SWANSON’S VOICE

THE STORY OF THE TRISPASSER” Three years ago the picture making world was thrown into chaos. Idols of the millions were out short at tho height of their fame by tho appearance of the "talkies.” Then the culling process began. Very few of the stars survived the acid test of legitimate stage acting which was applied to the players. The pretty face and the daring gesture were no longer the only essentials. A rasping, twangy voice spelled failure. It is surprising how few of these actors and actresses of the silent films have maintained their place in the front ranks.

Gloria Swanson, who appeared in her first talking picture,“The Trespasser,” at the Regent Theatre, New Plymouth, last night, is now to be classed with that little band who have “staged a come-back.” There is scarcely a trace of that painful nasal drawl in Miss Swanson’s voice, although the setting ie Chicago, the most American of cities, all the actors speak pleasantly to New Zealand listeners. Her singing is delightful, the fiill, rich notes being perfectly reproduced.

The story is one of self sacrifice. Yet curiously enough none of.. the characters are evil at heart. Blind or weak they may be. John Merrick the elder is a hard man with ideas of family importance built up on the family millions.. ■ He is obsessed with the desire that his-only son, Jack, should marry within his own class. It comes as a great shock, therefore, w’hen he finds that Jack has eloped with a beautiful stenographer, Marion. Donnell, played by Gloria Swanson. He/ tackles the problem of dissolving the undesirable liagon in a typically businesslike manner.. The girl must go. There is no thought of whethcior not Marion may be sincere in her love for Jack. To his mind there can be but one explanation. She is a scheming for; tune-hunter who has trapped his son into marriage.

The picture is of the triumph of love over wealth. A day after the wedding the father descends on the honeymoon. He tries by bombast to quell- his ison into submission, and just as he is reviling'Jack’s young wife in the most outspoken terms Marion walks into the room. Then old John Merrich changes his tactics and tries persuasion. The marriage is to be annulled and Marion “built up” socially until she can take her place amongst Jack’s set. The ruse prevails and the girl leaves, her pride rising uppermost. The marriage is annulled and Jack goes to Paris, where it is arranged that he meets Judith Carson, his father’s choice. They are married. Judith and Jack are involved in an accident which cripples the girl for life.

Meanwhile Marion return? to her old employer, Hector Ferguson. With a baby to care for she is beset by troubles. Ferguson, a city attorney, falls in love with Marion and when she is on the verge of a nervous breakdown she accepts his offer of a finely appointed flat. The lawyer, suddenly falls ill and calls for Marion. She goes to him and meets Ferguson’s wife. An embarrassing scene terminates when Ferguson dies in his wife’s presence. Love finds an outlet in self-sacrifice in the finale of the story, when the emotional atmosphere becomes tense. Jack Merrick learns that he has a son, and his father determines to rob Marion of the boy. Jack has just ranged himself on Marion’s side when Judith, his wife, tells of her decision to give up her husband for the child’s sake. Marion immediately rejects the sacrifice, and, leaving her son with the Merrick®, disappears. During the course of a year Judith dies, and Jack, by means of a telephonic communication, discovers Marion at a typietes’ agency, when the pair are happily united once more. A bright range of talkie shorts which met with a warm reception is included in the programme, ‘The S'l’l shown ft-nighi.